Brenda

*All names are changed. *

Today was not a day our pantry would normally be open. Brenda was one of two people who called today with emergency need.

It's Tuesday. Brenda has been without food in her home since Sunday. A neighbor gave her a few things to help get her through.
She had called social services, who told her just to call around and ask churches for food, and they included us on the list.
Brenda has visited us a few times already on a social services recommendation and she knew we weren't open until tomorrow.

But at a certain point, she just couldn't wait anymore so she called to see if we could help her today.

While I don't know her complete history, Brenda seems to perhaps have some cognitive issues that might prevent her from being able to find employment easily.
She told me her Social Security pays her bills (and since she is about my age, I am assuming this is disability), but she has nothing left over. Her SNAP (formerly food stamp) benefit is only $47 per month for her family of 2. SNAP benefits post of the first of the month, so she's a few days away from being able to shop.

Can you eat on $47 a month? How many times have you spent that just on 1 meal in a restaurant?

Add in recent increases in food costs, and she just can't make it. She said she has never been in such a difficult situation as she is in now.

As it was, she had just a small amount of gas in her car to come to our pantry. She's not the first person that I've talked to that struggled to pay for the gas just to drive a few miles to get food. (Of course, we also have plenty of people who have to find a ride to come.)

Mobile pantry time? Maybe one day.

That's all I know about Brenda. Today's the first time that I personally have met her. But I include her here because it's hard to believe that in suburban Short Pump, VA, near rows of restaurants and grocery stores, that there could be someone with no food at all in their home. Poverty is closer than we'd like to think.